Punk'd

So, after 5 weeks of teaching Algebra in Summer School, I was standing at the board on my last day. My students were playing Ultimate Algebra and were divided up into 4 teams competing against each other for fabulous prizes (Hot Fries, Laffy Taffy, and Life Savers). They were doing fantastically well. Teams 1 and 4 were neck and neck, and were trying to knock each other out of the running. Team 3 wasn't far behind and Team 2 had completely lost interest, but were talking quietly amongst themselves, so I didn't mind. My co-teacher, Ms. A, was front and center along with me, scanning the crowd to look for the hands that went up first after I wrote the problem on the board. Ms. H (the lead teacher) was hanging out at her desk flipping through a magazine. A good time was had by all... when suddenly...

Deion flew out of his seat screaming and essentially jumping from desk to desk with Kenneth in close pursuit. I watched them fly across the room and into the hall. I looked to Ms. H who dropped her magazine and hopped out of her seat. "Go get them, Ms. B!" She demanded. My first response (in my mind, of course) - was "You're crazy - I'm teaching - YOU go get them." I took a deep breath and stepped out into the hall - they were running around the corner toward the cafeteria. I was frustrated, but wanted to gain order in the classroom. I turned and realized Ms. A had joined me - I told her to go after them and I would return and try to continue the lesson.

I walked back in the classroom only to be met by a frantic Ms. H. "I thought you were going after them! YOU HAVE TO GO GET THEM!" I am pretty freaked out by her reaction. "What's going on - what is happening with them?" I had noticed her talking with them earlier and wondered if there was something personal going on that I didn't know about. They were friends, but that didn't mean that they wouldn't turn on each other. I also didn't understand why she wanted me to go after them, but I went back into the hall - only to followed by two more students - Andrew and Thurnell. This really upset me. Number one rule in a classroom emergency is to keep your students calm and in one place.

"What are you doing in the hall?" I demanded. "Get back in the class now!" Andrew said, "We've got to go get them, Ms. B! They really need us." Thurnell was on the other side of me and at this point he grabbed my arm and pulled. I looked at him, shocked to be grabbed by a student. I pulled my arm away and said "What is going on? You should know it is not appropriate for you to grab a teacher. Now get back in the classroom - I will deal with this." I started leading them back to the class when one of my best students, Tiffany, ran out into the hall and tried to get me to go after Kenneth and Deion too. At this point, I was done. "GET BACK IN THE CLASSROOM!" I hear myself yell and essentially coral the students back into the classroom. As I enter the door, I am greeted by students cheering, "Happy Last Day Ms. B!" They proceeded to hand me a card and cookies and asked if I was surprised. I stood with my mouth open while they laughed and talked about the look on my face. A few minutes later an equally shocked Ms. A was escorted into the classroom - where they again clapped and shouted in our honor.

I looked at the card, but I couldn't really see it. There was a note from each of the students. Thanking me for teaching them Algebra, thanking me for spending time with them this summer, and reminding me that banana laffy taffy should be avoided at all costs.

The students loved it - I'd say Ms. A and I were pleased at best, but definitely traumatized on a small scale by the experience. Thurnell and Andrew came up to me later and asked if they could hug me goodbye. Andrew's final words to me were, "Man, Ms. B, you are tough. You weren't going to let us leave, were you?" Thurnell agreed, "Ms. B don't play."